Every so often I hear someone say “I don’t need a website because 99% of my business is from referrals.” For some businesses, they are in fact about 99% referral. But just because someone is referred to you doesn’t mean they don’t want to hear more about you before getting in touch. It’s the year 2015, they aren’t going to look in the yellow pages (that’s a whole other topic), they are going to look for you online.

I’ve done plenty of business with companies that I was referred to. Before I talk to those businesses, I look for them online by doing a Google search. I want to see a little more about them. Are they local? Do they appear credible? Do they really offer the product or service I’m looking for?

Even if your business is 99% referral, you also can’t ignore things like content marketing and search engine optimization. When people look for your information, they’ll need to find you quickly in a Google search. Once they do find you, they’re going to want to see something that motivates them to want to do business with you.

If your business is in fact 99% referral you still need a website. The website isn’t needed to attract the other 1%, it’s to benefit the 99% coming to you from referrals. Provide them with as much info as possible on the site to help show them that your business is the one they need to work with.